The present invention relates to a library terminal which may be used, for example, by borrowers to check circulating items out of, and/or to return circulating items to, a library.
Many businesses and other enterprises are increasingly automating their systems in order to reduce operating cost and improve service. When such systems are used by the customers of these businesses and other enterprises, automation typically involves self-service facilities which allows customers to satisfy their own requirements. For example, financial institutions and library systems are beginning to use self-service terminals in order to reduce costs and to improve service. In the case of libraries, the libraries"" patrons may use these self-service library terminals to conduct at least some of their business with the libraries.
Known self-service library terminals typically include a cradle on which circulating items to be checked out from, or returned to, a library can be placed. A scanner reads a code, such as a bar code, which has been placed on the circulating item by library staff and which identifies the circulating item. Typically the scanner projects a visible scan line in order to read the code. The visible scan line used by current scanners do little more than read codes, and are not arranged to provide information back to library patrons. Accordingly, known self-service library terminals are under-utilized.
Known self-service library terminals also do not lead a user through a loan transaction and do not provide feedback to the user regarding the proper use of the self-service library terminal. For example, known self-service library terminals do not indicate to the user when a circulating item has been placed in an improper position on the cradle.
Moreover, when known self-service library terminals are configured according to the specifications of a particular library, the configuration data is not conveniently generated and distributed to each of the self-service library terminals provided by a library. Accordingly, unnecessary expense and time consuming labor are required to configure the self-service library terminals of a library.
In addition, known self-service library terminals typically rely on only one circulating item receiving area, such as a cradle, in order to receive circulating items whose codes are to be scanned by the scanner during check out and/or check in. This limitation means that either current self-service library terminals are limited in the types of circulating items which can be checked out and/or checked in by the patron without the help of a member of the library staff, or library staff must be careful about the placement of codes on the circulating items and patrons must be careful about the placement of the different kinds of circulating items on the cradle so that their codes may be properly scanned.
Furthermore, known library self-service library terminals have many other limitations. For example, (i) known self-service library terminals do not process financial circuit transactions, (ii) they do not store loan transaction information during periods when the communication line between the terminal and the main circulation system of the library is down so that this loan transaction information can be later transferred to the main circulation system when the communication link is back up, (iii) they do not determine incorrect placement of a patron""s library card on the cradle so that the identification of the patron processing a check out or check in transaction can be determined, and (iv) they do not permit a library patron to continue a transaction at the option of the patron if the self-service library terminal is in an error state.
The present invention is directed to a library terminal that solves one or more of the above noted problems.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a library terminal comprises an article receiving area arranged to receive an article, a code reader arranged to read a code on the article when placed on the article receiving area, and a controller coupled to the code reader. The controller is arranged to control the code reader so as to project a visible indicator onto the article receiving area and so as to change the visible indicator between first and second visible states, and the controller is arranged to process a signal from the code reader corresponding to the code read by the code.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a library terminal comprises a display, a transducer, a code reader arranged to read a code on an article involved in a loan transaction, and a controller coupled to the display, the transducer, and the code reader. The controller is arranged to control the code reader so to as read the code on the article, the controller is arranged to control the display so as to lead a user through the loan transaction, and the controller is arranged to control the transducer so as to provide an audible feedback having first and second on-states depending upon operation of the library terminal by the user.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, a self-service library terminal comprises an article receiving area arranged to receive an article, a code reader arranged to read a code on the article when the article is placed on the article receiving area, and a controller coupled to the code reader. The controller is arranged to process signals from the code reader and to provide an explicit feedback to a borrower when an article has an improper position on the article receiving area.
In accordance with an additional aspect of the present invention, a method of the present invention is provided for the preparation of configuration data for multiple self-service library terminals. According to the method, the configuration data is stored in data storage memories of the multiple self-service library terminals. The multiple self-service library terminals are configured by the configuration data to interact with users during loan transactions. The method comprises the following steps: a) preparing the configuration data on an administration terminal; and b) transferring the configuration data from the administration terminal to the data storage memories of the multiple self-service library terminals.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a library terminal comprises a monitor, a data storage memory storing screen displays, and a controller. The screen displays include fonts. The controller is arranged to control the display of the screen displays, including the fonts, on the monitor without performing font rendering from fonts stored separately from the screen displays.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a library terminal comprises a housing, an item receiving area incorporated in the housing, a video receiving area incorporated in the housing, a reader supported by the housing and arranged to read the circulating item and the video when the circulating item is placed in the item receiving area and when the video is placed in the video receiving area, and a controller. The item receiving area is arranged to receive a circulating item. The video receiver area is arranged to receive a video. The controller is contained with the housing, and the controller is coupled to the reader.
In accordance with still a further aspect of the present invention, a self-service library terminal comprises a reader and a controller. The reader is arranged to read identifications on articles involved in library loan transactions. The controller is arranged to process signals from the reader corresponding to the identifications read by the reader, and the controller is arranged to process financial credit transactions related to the library loan transactions and to remind a borrower of the borrower""s account status.
In accordance with yet a further aspect of the present invention, an arrangement comprises a self-service library terminal, a circulation system, and a communication link. The communication link couples the self-service library terminal to the circulation system. The self-service library terminal has a controller arranged to process a loan transaction of a borrower of a circulating item. The controller stores the loan transaction during a period when the communication link between the self-service library terminal and the circulation system is down, and the controller transfers the stored loan transaction from the self-service library terminal to the circulation system during a period when the communication link between the self-service library terminal and the circulation system is not down.
In accordance with an additional aspect of the present invention, a library terminal comprises a card receiving area arranged to receive a library card, a card reader arranged to read the library card when the library card is placed on the card receiving area, and a controller coupled to the card reader. The controller is responsive to the card reader in order to determine incorrect library card placement on the card receiving area.
In accordance with a further additional aspect of the present invention, a library terminal comprises a circulating item receiving area arranged to receive a circulating item, a scanner arranged to scan the circulating item when the circulating item is placed on the circulating item receiving area, and a controller coupled to the scanner. The controller is responsive to the scanner in order to determine when the circulating item is in the circulating item receiving area but is not in a reference position.
In accordance with still a further additional aspect of the present invention, a library terminal comprises a first circulating item receiving area arranged to receive a first circulating item of a first type, a first scanner arranged to read the first circulating item when the first circulating item is placed in the first circulating item receiving area, a second circulating item receiving area arranged to receive a second circulating item of a second type, a second scanner arranged to read the second circulating item when the second circulating item is placed in the second circulating item receiving area, and a controller coupled to the first and second scanners. The first and second types are different. The controller is responsive to the first scanner in order to determine when the second circulating item is placed on the first circulating item receiving area.
In accordance with yet a further additional aspect of the present invention, a self-service library terminal comprises a controller and a display. The controller is arranged to detect an error state of the self-service library terminal and, while the self-service library terminal is in the error state, to notify a user through use of the display that the user may continue a transaction at the option of the user.